... Salted Peanut Butter Cups

I think I'm in love.  I have been for a while, really, and it's one of those loves that will last a lifetime.  Taylor + peanut butter + chocolate... what a wonderful relationship we have.  So you have to know that when I came across this recipe for making my own peanut butter cups... and salted (!) no less, I was all over it.

{reference my notes below for an explanation of that glob of chocolate...}

I mean honestly, how can you look at that and not be in love?  Here's the problem, though.  These babies are so easy to make, with ingredients that you likely have on hand (or am I the only one who stock piles peanut butter and chocolate chips?), that you'll probably fall in love soon, too.  Hey, don't say I didn't warn you.

My friend Kerstin introduced me to these via the blog A House in the Hills.  It's a beautiful blog - check it out when you have some time!  The recipe on the blog, however, is vegan.  I'm absolutely not saying there's anything wrong with that, but I did tweak my version of the recipe and it's most certainly not vegan.  Here's my version...

Salted Peanut Butter Cups
serves makes 24 cups

1/2 cup unsalted butter
3/4 cup peanut butter (I missed the 'crunchy' part of her ingredient... I recommend that you use it!)
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1/4 cup raw sugar
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
sea salt to sprinkle on top

Line a mini muffin tin with papers.  You certainly could use a regular size muffin tin, but I'm warning you, these babies are sweet and rich... More power to you if you can eat a regular size!

Melt the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat and then stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and sugar.  When it's melted and mixed, spoon the mixture into the muffin tins.

In a separate pan, combine the chocolate and milk.  Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted.

Spoon the chocolate over the peanut butter, filling the papers almost to the top.

Sprinkle with sea salt and then refrigerate.

Taylor's Notes:
Ok, like I mentioned, mine aren't vegan or good for you (well, not good in terms of healthy at least), but man... they are delicious.  Here are a few things I found... 

• The peanut butter mixture didn't set up on it's own (refer to picture above where the chocolate started sinking into the peanut butter).  I ended up sticking them in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes or so before I poured the rest of the chocolate on.
• I do think that actually using crunchy peanut butter may have helped that.  I suppose I'll have to make them again to try out that theory.  Darn.
• I made another half-batch of chocolate based on Sarah's notes.  You can tell how that affected the peanut butter to chocolate ratio.  You can definitely play with it based on how you like your chocolate and peanut butter to play together.
• These are best eaten right out of the refrigerator.  Actually, better yet, out of the freezer.  I served them at a party and the longer they sat out, they got a little soft and were kind of difficult to eat.  

Other than that, these are way too easy to make and I'm going to try to forget that I ever made them.  Yeah right.

Enjoy!

Side note... Baxter's face looked exactly like this the entire time I was making these.  He's a huge fan of peanut butter, too.  I'm sure he'd love chocolate as much as me, too, if I'd let him...

... Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

This may be one of the quickest and easiest pasta recipes to make.  And when you have a night full of catching up with an old friend planned, quick and easy is the best way to go.

A little pre-get together prep and you'll be well on your way to getting the scoop on what's been happening over the last couple months.  

Shrimp pasta is the perfect meal for spending the least amount of time in the kitchen possible.  They both cook up very quickly.  Keep your eye on those shrimp, as soon as they're pink, they're ready!

Linguine with Shrimp Scampi

serves 4

vegetable oil

kosher salt

1 1/2 lbs linguine

6 tablespoons (3/4 stick) unsalted butter

5 tablespoons good olive oil

3 tablespoons minced garlic (9 cloves)

2 lbs large shrimp, peeled and deveined

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

3/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

grated zest of one lemon

1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (4 lemons)

1/2 lemon, thinly sliced in half-rounds

1/4 teaspoon hot red pepper flakes

Drizzle some oil in a large pot of boiling salted water, add 1 tablespoon of salt and the linguine, and cook for 7 to 10 minutes, or according to the directions on the package.

Meanwhile, in another large, heavy-bottomed pan, melt the butter and olive oil over medium heat.  Add the garlic.  Saute for 1 minute.  Be careful, the garlic burns easily!  Add the shrimp, 1 tablespoon of salt, and the pepper and saute until the shrimp have just turned pink, about 5 minutes, stirring often.  Remove from the heat, add the parsley, lemon zest, lemon juice, lemon slices, and red pepper flakes.  Toss to combine.

When the pasta is done, drain the cooked linguine and put it back in the pot.  Immediately add the shrimp and sauce, toss well, and serve.

Taylor's Notes:

I would add a little salt to this and / or a few more shakes of the red pepper flakes.  But, you know, I like it spicy so proceed at your own risk!  We had this with some crusty French bread and a nice red wine.  Hey, what's girls night without a little vino?  And, in case you were wondering, yes, I found this recipe on Pinterest.  I'm telling you, it's the best site since, well... I don't know what.  But it's good.  If you're on it, check out my 'foodie' board for recipes I'm planning to try and my 'check list' board for recipes I've already tried... and my comments about them :)  

Enjoy!

... Chicken and Black Bean Nachos

Besides the company I had and Beyonce's half-time performance, this was one of the major highlights of Super Bowl XLVII (or 2013 for those of you who, like me, can't keep track of all the Roman numerals).  It certainly kept us preoccupied during the black out.

I found the recipe on Pinterest and am so glad I did.  I know, Shock! Awe! Taylor made a recipe from Pinterest!  Not only was it quick and easy to put together, it was delicious and even "healthier" than standard nachos.  And that'll make you feel a little less guilty about chowing down on nachos while watching Beyonce rock it in a skin tight leather number.

Chicken and Black Bean Nachos
serves 6 appetizer portions

6 oz tortilla chips
1 can (16 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Monterrey Jack cheese
1 cup cooked chicken, shredded
1/2 red onion, diced
juice of 2 limes
1/2 cup light sour cream
chopped cilantro
salsa (either fresh or your favorite bottled salsa)
pickled jalapenos

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.  Arrange the chips in a single layer on a large baking sheet.  Spoon the beans evenly over the chips, then top with the cheese, chicken, and onion.  Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until the cheese is fully melted and bubbling.  Remove.

Combine the lime juice, sour cream, and cilantro.  Spoon over the nachos.  Top with the salsa and jalapenos.

Taylor's Notes:
Hello Rotisserie Chicken!  It's been a while, but one of my favorite short-cuts is back and perfect in this quick and easy recipe.  The sour cream / cilantro mixture was really great on top, but you could certainly leave the cilantro out if you don't like that sort of thing.  

Enjoy!

... Mango Salsa

Look at this gorgeous color!  Doesn't it look like Summer?  Or at least Florida in the winter?  Regardless of the time of year or location you're in, if you can find a ripe mango you should make this salsa.

And then put it on fish like this...

Mango Salsa

serves 2-4

1 large ripe mango, peeled, pitted, and diced

1/2 red bell pepper, diced

2 tablespoons minced red onion

1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro

1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced

2 tablespoons lime juice

1 tablespoon lemon juice

salt and pepper to taste

Combine all the ingredients, except the s&p, and toss well.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Taylor's Notes:

Again, Mom made this one.  It was the perfect topping for fresh caught Florida Grouper.  It was also great as a snack with tortilla chips the next day.  It'd be great on several types of fish, shrimp, scallops, even chicken.

Know what else is great?  This... for dessert.

Enjoy!

*Please excuse my use of Instagram photos... the food really was beautiful and delicious even without the filters...

... Hot Crab Cheese Dip

Vacation.  It's a wonderful thing.  Especially when it's spent in sunny Florida at the end of January.  I don't know about you, but I say 78 degrees is way better than 8 any day.  We enjoyed the beautiful weather by cooking at our home away from home one night and made this recipe as an appetizer.  It was delicious and I'll definitely make it again... if only to remind me of warmer temps in the middle of winter.

Hot Crab Cheese Dip
serves 8

8 ounces light cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup light mayonnaise
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
2 tablespoons skim milk
4 scallions, sliced
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon Tabasco sauce
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 pound lump crab meat, flaked
1/4 cup (1 ounce) grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Combine the cream cheese, mayonnaise, 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, skim milk, scallions, lemon juice, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce and garlic salt in a bowl and mix well.  Fold in the crab meat.

Spoon the crab meat mixture into a shallow 6-cup baking dish sprayed with nonstick cooking spray.  Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese.  Bake for 30 minutes or until light brown.  Let stand for 5 minutes and sprinkle with parsley.  Serve warm with tortilla chips.

Taylor's Notes:
To be honest, Mom made this.  All I did was bake it and eat it.  But, boy, was it delicious.  It probably didn't hurt that we ate it on the deck of the house we rented for our family vacation in Key Largo, Florida while overlooking the ocean and enjoying the sunset.  I mean, I'm sure it'd be just as good if you ate it in your living room.  In the middle of winter.  Really, I'm sure it would.  

If I remember correctly, Mom made this early in the day and kept it in the refrigerator while we were out playing.  We set it out about 20 minutes before sticking it in the oven to bake.  

I just realized - only by looking at the photo - that we (ahem, I) didn't add the parsley before serving.  Oops.  #garnishfail

Enjoy!

... a Hot Chocolate Bar

Well, better late than never... I always say.  Or, almost always... Anyhoo, this Christmas (yes, I know it's currently February... don't judge), after driving around the Plaza to look at the lights, we headed back to my house for a little warm up.  Hot Chocolate is great for that.  Hot Chocolate with Bailey's or Peppermint Schnapps... even better.

It's a perfect idea for a big group and a lot of fun to see what add-ins everyone enjoys.  We had the aforementioned Bailey's and Peppermint Schnapps, chocolate-dipped marshmallows, candy canes, caramel bits, mini chocolate chips, and chocolate hazelnut Pirouettes.

Here's the most exciting thing... you don't need to wait until Christmas to enjoy it.  Hot Chocolate is great in February, too!

Hot Chocolate Bar
serves 4

4 1/2 cups whole milk
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/4 cup sugar

In a medium saucepan, heat 4 cups of the milk over low heat, being very careful not to let the milk boil.  In a small bowl, mix together the cocoa, sugar, and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.  Add the cocoa mixture to the warm milk and continue to warm the cocoa until hot.

Pour into 4 mugs and garnish.

Taylor's Notes:
I tripled the recipe and it made enough for thirteen of us.  It's pretty rich, so you probably don't need more than a cup - especially depending on your add-ins - but hey, I don't judge.  Drink away.  

I made this a day ahead and kept it in the refrigerator until we were ready to enjoy it.  It heated up on the stove pretty quickly - in maybe 20 minutes or so - over medium heat.  Again, be careful not to let the milk boil.  Trust me, no amount of Bailey's can help burnt milk.

Enjoy!

... Spicy Thai Noodles

I've had this recipe pinned for quite a while now.  That's one of the downfalls of Pinterest... pin and forget.  Love 'em and leave 'em.  Until now.  Now I'm making a goal to actually make the recipes that I pin.  Viva la Pinterest!

The beautiful thing about most online recipes - and especially well-read food blogs - is that there are nearly always comments from readers who have made the recipe.  After reading several of them, I found myself tweaking the original recipe before I even started.  Here's the original recipe should you choose to follow it.  See my notes below for my changes.

Spicy Thai Noodles
serves 4

1 box linguine or angel hair pasta
1 - 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup sesame oil
6 tablespoons honey
6 tablespoons soy sauce
green onions, cilantro, peanuts, toasted sesame seeds, shredded carrots

Boil noodles.  Drain.

Chop green onions, cilantro, carrots, and peanuts.

Heat both oils and crushed red pepper over medium heat in a small pan (2 tablespoons makes this dish very spicy.  I use only 1 tablespoon or less of pepper.)  Strain out pepper and reserve oil.  To oil, whisk in honey and soy sauce.  Toss mixture with noodles.

Refrigerate overnight or until cold.  Before serving, top each individual serving with onions, cilantro, carrots, peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds.  Serve cold.

Taylor's Notes:
As I mentioned, there were several comments to the original blog post... and I loved reading them.  You can always find great information from other readers and often the blogger will add notes, too.  Like, for instance, you really don't need the vegetable oil.  Several people - even LeAna, the blogger, said that she now leaves it out.  I added 1/8 cup just to see how it'd be.  Silly me.  I should have listened.  It wasn't bad, but was definitely more oily than it needed to be.  So, lesson learned - leave it out.  The other great tidbit I found was to add rice wine vinegar and a little peanut butter (I used Justin's Almond Butter as I've quickly become addicted to it).  And finally, as always when chilies are concerned, add at your own risk.  LeAna warns you in the original recipe that the full two tablespoons add a lot of heat.  You know me, I love heat, so add as you wish.  I actually used a tablespoon and a half of Sambal Oelek, which is chili paste.  Since I used that, I didn't drain the flakes from the oil.  

A few other things I did on my own was use Udon noodles instead of linguine.  I also added shrimp.  Several other readers added chicken, broccoli, mushrooms.  I forgot the peanuts (bummer!  they would have added great texture).  As always, the beauty of cooking is being able to make it your own.  So go get in the kitchen and be creative!  Add what you like and leave out what you don't.  And by all means...

Enjoy yourself!